Beams of light
by MariLyn's Mello
Summary: You only notice them when you think you've lost them. A oneshot.


It started with a fall, and was realized in a hospital.

All it takes to realize how much you care about the people around you is an accident, how close they were to death or injury beyond repair. You see what they offer, what role they play in your life and how much you'd give to keep them by your side.

The people we love are constantly standing on the street road curb, waiting to cross a red light road. The cars rush by and could easily knock them off their feet and into a coma, but they walk and manage to survive. But the road is eternal, and no-one can avoid the threats forever. They'll get hit by sickness or death, they'll might pull through but then again they might not. Even if they do get back on two feet, the road will keep running.

XXX

Vince was in his room, puckering his lips at the mirror and spraying strands of hair back in it's place. There was a crash in the kitchen but Vince ignored it, Howard was probably making breakfast. He hummed Cars as he slipped his black high heeled boots on, grabbing a necklace from an overflowing jewelery box covered in fake jewels and slipping it around his neck. His day wasn't planned, it never was, he just followed a flow and that flow would lead to another until he was either passed out or snuggled in his bed toasty and warm.

Vince thought today was a good day, there was a beam of light shining through the overcast and Vince was determined to find were the light hit the ground.

He wanted to see Lerpicauns skipping around a pot of gold, maybe he's even invite Howard.

It had been a long time since he'd had a day of just him and Howard.

Vince, satisfied with himself, walked into the lounge room.

"Howard?" He called with no reply. His shiny blue eyes darted to the kitchen, no-one was there either. He decided to have a pop tart, just for the sake of being able to use the kitchen without Howard fussing over which dishes he's just washed and arranged to dry from colour code. Vince walked by the table, grabbing a glass of water that had no owner and taking a sip. He was surprised, the table was set for two. had Howard been expecting someone? Vince walked over one of this shoes he'd left lying about and into the kitchen and dropped the glass. It shattered into varied pieces, running under Vinces heels and under the kitchen bench. Vinces heart stopped, hand still holding the imaginary glass.

Howard lay on the floor, blood running over his face from a cut on his head. He wasn't moving, his eyes weren't open and Vince didn't know what a pulse was.

"Howard! Howard! Howard, look at me! Please!" Vince shrieked, kneeling onto the glass and pushing the sticky hair from his friends face. Vince started shaking, moving his hands to do several things but not knowing which to do first. There was pancake mix on the floor, dollops of it stuck to Howards hawiian shirt.

"Naboo! Naboo! Please! Help, it's Howard!" Vince screamed, praying the tiny shaman wasn't asleep. He tried to pick Howards torso put but being small couldn't do it, he simply whispered into his friends ear and waited for Naboo to save him.

XXX

_"Early in the mor-ning, just as the sun was ri-sing"_

_Howard muttered as he mixed the pancake batter furiously, it splatterd onto his hawiian shirt but was too busy to notice. The kitchen was a mess, covered in bowls and batter and wooden spoons and dirty pans he'd have to wash._

_He was making pancakes, for Vince. Vince, his best friend. He hadn't been able to call Vince that often, he'd been so busy being the mayor of Camden he'd forgotten about Howard. Howard wanted that to change, he'd been going through his wardrobe (Arranged by material and washing methods) and had found the painting Vince had painted of him at the Zoo, sitting on the floor of the wardrobe looking up at Howard with it's dusty, faceless face. Howard knew Vince meant no harm with the painting, his one brain cell was just telling him to paint what he saw. They'd been such good friends, so tightly knitted like a sweater. Howard decided to sew a few of those loose stitches back in place._

_Howard grabbed two plates from the bottom cupboard, holding them in one arm as he grabbed a glass of water in the other. He set the table so they would face each other, sipping some of the water and placing the glass at his spot on the table._

_"Forks" He muttered under his breath and walked towards the kitchen. His foot hitched in something, Howard flew forward, his head colliding into the bench. He could feel his head splitting open, he fell to the floor._

_XXX_

Vince shuffled on the plastic chair, wanting to get comfy but the chair being all the wrong shapes and bending his back forwards. He sighed and looked out the only window, the sky had turned grey and rain fell slowly down. It was going to be Vince and Howards day, they were going to go and find the lerpicauns.

Naboo sat beside Vince, flicking through an old copy of NME with little interest. Bollo had come along to, he just sat and grunted occansionally. Vince looked at the other people sitting down, an elderly couple huddled in the corner, a little girl in her mothers arms with blood running from her mouth, a teenage boy holding his arm. Vince smiled warmly at him, the boy tried to smile but was too worried about the state of his baby sister and looked back down at his feet, wondering why he'd been so stupid to go driving when he was drunk. Vince didn't belong, he was full of bright colours when this place was just white with grey plastic floors.

Some nurses smoked outside, hair pulled back simply and eyes shrunken into their heads. Vince brought his feet up to the chair, laying his head on his knees and looking down the corridors were they'd taken Howard. Vince felt worried about his best friend, he wanted to know if Howard was ok. Howard was his best friend.

Vince could feel his throat getting bigger as he realized how much he'd ignored his best friend for the fame of the Mayor of Camden. All those days he could've spent with Howard he spent with strangers who didn't know his like Howard did. He'd thrown Howard aside for shiny capes and royalty, and only now was it hitting him. Vinces eyes got glassy, he squinted like Howard would when he laughed and tried not to cry.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd cried.

Howard had been there for him all the time and had helped him and saved him and all he did was push him aside.

Howard could die.

The tears ran down Vinces cheeks, his mascara and eyeliner ran, he started to shake but hugged his knees to steady himself.

Then Vince remembered a detail, a horrible little detail. His shoe, it had been his shoe. The doctors said Howard had had his skull fractured by banging his head from tripping over. The shoe tripped Howard, Vinces shoe.

"My shoe" Vince whispered, not recognizing his voice, it was wobbly and filled with saddness.

"What?" Naboo asked, looking up from NME. Vince didn't reply, he wiped his eyes and sniffed as his nose ran. All Vince was thinking about was what he'd done.

Vince killed Howard.

Vince killed him.

"Mr Noir?"

Vince looked up, a nurse prettier than the smoking ones outside held a clipboard and was starring at Vince, red eyed panda faced shaking Vince.

_XXX_

_"Mr Moon? Can you hear me?"_

_Howard groaned, trying to sit up but being gently held in place._

_"My name is Dr Cartman, you had an accident. Do you remember what happened?"_

_Howard thought back, he could remember breakfast, the painting, even the day before._

_"I tripped over, I think. Where am I?"_

_"You're in hospital. You had a lucky break Howard, you could've done some real damage to your head"_

_Howard felt around his face, there was a large bandage on his forehead, he pressed it and yelped quietly. There were needles in Howards arm, he was wearing a hospital gown. Howard tried to remember what had happened, he'd been making breakfast for Vince and him, pulled out a glass._

_"What time is it?" Howard asked Dr Cartman. He held his wrist to his face._

_"About midnight"_

_Midnight? How long had he been in here for? Howard was pale, he wanted to sleep but there was too much he needed to know. Dr Cartman fiddled with Howards fluids, straightening the lines out on the bed sheets._

_"Uh.. Dr Car-"_

_"Yes?"_

_"Did I almost die?"_

_He stopped and looked Howard in the eye with a serious expression. Howard expected a no, an almost would've knocked him off his feet._

_"Yes"_

_He'd almost died, it sounded weird. He never thought about how he'd die, with Vince was his first thought. But Vince hadn't been there, now he was thinking about it did Vince even care? Did Vince know he was in hospital? He sighed sadly as he saw an empty room, Vince didn't care anymore, he just didn't._

_No-one did._

_Maybe Howard should start a new life, get a job and eventually find a women and have kids. That would be nice, but didn't sound right. When he was out of here he'll pack, he'll get out of Vinces hair before he's even woken up._

_It'll be easier that way, Howard felt his heart shatter._

_A blonde nurse peeked through the curtains that separated the rooms. _

_"Howard,you have a visitor" She said in her sweet voice, and opened the curtain wide._

XXX

Howard.

What had Vince done?

He had his head bandaged up and his left eye was bruised. His normal clothes were covered in pancake stains and blood. Machines hooked up to fluids with the fluids linked to Howards arm by a needle that made Vince squirm.

But he was alive.

XXX

_Vince._

_What happened to him._

_He's been crying, Vince never cries. _

_Howard could recognize the clothes, but not the face. Black eye make-up smeared over both cheeks, eyes red from tears. his bottom lip trembled, Howard noticed his whole body shook. And now it wasn't only his face, he somehow looked skinnier than he was yesterday. More rushed, like he'd litrally just thrown on the red jumpsuit._

_"We'll leave you two" The nurse said, and Dr Cartman walked out after her. Vince took a step into the room, all that could be heard were the click of the shoes as the doctor and nurse left._

_XXX_

"How did you get here?" Howard asked. Vince swallowed the dry spit in his mouth.

"Naboo and Bollo... they're in the waiting room.I wanted to see you first..."

"Oh, ok"

Both were too scared to take the first step or touch, worried they'd run away to fake friends or pass away in their arms. Vince couldn't help it any longer, he jumped into Howards arms, needing a friend more than ever. The tears soaked into Howards gown, he gripped the material between his fingers and rested his head on his friends neck and was relieved he'd found him.

_"H-howard. Don't die. D-don't let me die one my own. You're my best friend... I h-haven't been a b-best friend, but I st-still love you. Always"_

_Howard hugged Vince, pulling his best friend closer to him. _

_"Don't worry little man, I won't die on you" Howard whispered into his ear and closed his eyes. Howard knew he and Vince would be close from then on, they knew every moment was a blessing. Howard wiped the tears from Vinces face with his thumb, and Vince smiled._

_"Howard?"_

_"Yeh?"_

_Vince bit his bottom lip, looking up at Howard with big eyes._

_"Can we go looking for lerpicauns tomorrow?" _

_XXX_

They both lay on the bed now, Vince holding Howard and Howard holding Vince.


End file.
